The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-12-01
ON THE GOLDEN SHORES.
"A CALIFORNIA PIoNEaA's STORY.


Observation-Disclosures Joe's Fata.
Shot-The FL Dorado Indian War
Driven insane by Gold
From The Overland MonHl0.
Two of us went to Sacramento again.
where we met darkey who had come out
from New York with George Hyatt, and he
wished us to go Immediately with him to
Placer county. He said he had found a
place where the gold could be taken out in
large pieces, he had blazed the trees on the
way out and could find the place again We
started with him at once and came out at
what is now called Todds Valley. Todd
was then building his log cabin there for
store and tavern. From here we went up on
the divide, and, wandering about the woods,
at last found the blazes on the trees, which
finally led us into what is still known by the
euphonious name of Shirt-tail Canon. We
Camped here over night, and in the morning
set to prospecting, with good results, prov
ing the truth of our guide. We FASTENED
back to the city, and when we returned we
found a few other parties there at work
We could make four to six ounces a day,
and many made as high as $1,000 a day
with their pans. Claims were here as well
as elsewhere fifteen feet square. Water
came in rapidly as we went down. This
drove us away, and we returned for while
slp to FL Dorado county.
This time we went high up, about Is
miles from Johnson's ranch, on the emigrant
road, intending to cross the river and go
over towards Coloma after prospecting. But
after we had crossed some very heavy
canons and had come to the river, we found
it impossible to ford it there. About noon
e Fo1I ..,Ao
getting out, he spread his wet clothes on the
rocks t. dry, and when he went to get them,
what was his establishment to find shining
in crevice some particles of bright gold
We were not long in breaking open the
rock, and found that the crevice contained
about sixty dollars which we extracted
with knife and washed out in a pam We
concluded to camp there; so, going up on
the hill and stalking our animals to good
feed, we tried the bar. 1t was a small one,
but we had to use crowbars, and a hammer
a knife and pan-scarcely any dirt to wash !;
hut we could get out from three to five
pounds of gold in day. Every two or three
DAYS would saddle up and go down the old
emigrant trail then traversed daily by han
dreds of emlgrants from the States, and,
vending my way to Johnson's ranch, would
deposit with him for safe-keeping, our gold.
He wished to find out where l got it; so
when | started back he would send some one
to track me. | always started in the even
ing and camped ON the road, mewhere
found emigrants already camped; so that if
followed / could manage before morning to
slip away without being discovered by my
shadow. After had done this few times,
and had several thousand dollars in John
sons keeping, he became resolute to find
out our whereabouts So, finally, he sent a
lot of Indians, 80 in number to track us up.
This they did the next day by following up
the river and watching for some slight
discoloration of the water such as would be
produced by washing the dirt. 1t so hap
pened that upon going up this time we had
taken with us Portuguese, whom we want
ed to do our cooking and packing; and as
he was a good shot also, for game. About
noon, while we were at the love- end of the
bar, heard Joe sing out, "Look-out-there
comes the Indians!n And sure enough they
were approaching us from below, on both
sides of the river They had no intent of
harm, desiring only to find us and our where
abouts; but Portuguese Joe, without wait
ing for orders, opened fire. The shot went
whlzzing by my head. aimed at the nearest
Indian; but at the same instant | motloned
him to plump into the river, which be lost
no time in doing. The rest got away as fast
as they came. ] expostulated with Joe for
his imprudence, but he thought he knew
what was right. told him they would re-
turn and kill us all. He said, mo; Indian
come no more" / told him we should have
TO look out now for they would be on us be-
fore we knew it; and where it was impossible
to get out except in one way; and that way
these Indians knew as well as we did.
Sure enough, not two hours later the In
dians made their appearance, and this time
where they had the advantage, on the bluff
above our heads. Our chance of getting
away by the pass we had entered by was
cut off, and we stood a poor showing of es-
Gaping their vengeance. Showers of arrows
came down thick and fast, but by keeping
up close under the hill we managed to evade
them, as they overshot all the time.
We were now in a dilemma. We could
not cross the river where we were, for it was
narrow channel between the sides of the
gorge, and the current ran very strong. As
to any one coming to our aid, that was
not to be thought Of for we were miles
ahead OF where any prospecting had been
done at that time, and there was no possibil-
lty Of any one finding us.
We kept close up under the bluff all that
afternoon, but were kept in anxiety by the
continuous rolling down of rock and stone
upon US from above, and when we tried to
escape these the arrows would be brought in
to play. Night came on, but we knew the
darkness would not help us, for our only
mode OF egreSs was guarded by the Indians.
another place to get out and make known
our situation, but failed to do SO. The next
morning, however, a little accommodating
showed us one point where, by throwing
laSSo up into a tree above, there might be
chance; but it would not do to try it in the
day time. So, waiting till the dusk set in
my companion went to work to make his
exit. The place was about a quarter of a
mile above on the river, and just where a
projection of the wall of rock came down to
the river, cutting off all further commune
cation up the stream.at that point. While he
made the attempt, we moved about on the
bar to attract attention that way in case the
Indians should be on the watch. This time
he succeeded, got out safely and communi-
Gated with body of men, who came to our
relief the next day--making indiscriminste
war, at the same time, upon every Indian
they met Thiswas the beginning of the
FL Dorado Indian war, in which Major
Mckinney aud a portion of his command
We're killed-an incident in the history Of
that country that very few have ever
known-the cause of all, Portuguese Joes
foolish and unprovoked shot. Many lost
their lives by that Indian war.
We had escaped the Indians; but our Sc
cret diggings were oyerrun with men in
twenty-four hours, and our time was up.
Within two days after we lett, one man
found i'll crevice on the bar we had left a
single piece of pure gold, weighing nine
pounds TIpon pattinr ont we fOIud Our